Combined ski file and camber block



July 9, 1968 R. I UFF COMBINED SKI FILE AND CAMBER BLOCK Filed May 25, 196

INVENTOR.

RU DO LF LU FF g, um?" ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,391,946 COMBINED SKI FILE AND CAMBER BLGCK Rudolf Lut, 1226 Connecticut Drive, Redwood City, Calif. 94061 Filed May 25, 1966, Ser. No. 552,806 9 Claims. (Cl. 280-11.37)

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A unitary block structure serves both as a steel edge file for skis and as a camber block for skis. A le member, which is retained in a recess in the block when not in use, is insertable into a retainable by a slot in the block to form a le, with the edge of the file extending above a planar surface of the block. The block has one dimension corresponding to the desired camber of the skis, so that it may be inserted therebetween to maintain the ski camber when they are not in use.

This invention relates in general to skiing accessories.

In skiing, a great deal of emphasis is placed on the proper care and storage of the skis. This care includes the ling of the edges of the skis to sharpen them where they have been roughened by abrasion from rocks, snow and the like. This sharpness is desirable in order to insure minimum friction `during use of the skis, as well as for their aesthetic appearance. Additionally, during storage of the skis, it is necessary that the central portions thereof be spaced from each other by a certain amount while the ends are clamped together. This spacing of the central portions of the skis is usually accomplished by the use of a camber block which is inserted -between the facing under-surfaces of the skis at the center thereof. This camber block serves to maintain the natural curvature which is formed into each ski to give it uniform ilexibility and fleXure when in use.

Heretofore, it has been proposed in the art to provide a member which served as both a camber block and a holder and applicator for wax for the skis. Such a device is quite satisfactory for waxing skis and maintaining their cam-ber when stored, but it makes no provision for tiling the edges of skis as discussed above, and a skier equipped with such a device still has to carry with him some type of file for this purpose.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a unitary structure which serves both as a device for filing the edges of skis and as a camber block during storage of the skis. The structure is preferably formed of a hard but slightly elastic material and has one dimension corresponding to the direct camber distance for the skis. When employed as a camber block, the structure is inserted between the skis at the center thereof, with the dimension corresponding to the camber distance serving to separate the skis. The lstructure is also provided with a slot therein on a planar guide surface which is adapted to receive 4a le member. When not in use for filing, the le member is stored in a recess in the structure and may be removed therefrom for insertion in the slot. When inserted in the slot, the tile member, together with the planar guide surface in which the slot is formed, form a filing block for filing the edges of the skis.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a unitary structure which can be used both as a file block for filing the edges of skis and as a camber block for maintaining the proper spacing of the skis when stored.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a unitary structure which can be used both as a file block for filing the edges of skis and as a camber block for maintaining the proper spacing of the skis when stored,

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the structure including a file member which is insertable in a slot in the structure.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a unitary structure which serves both as a device for filing the edges of skis and as a camber block during storage of the skis, the structure including a tile member which is stored in a recess in the structure when not in use and which is insertable in a slot in the structure to form a filing block.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a tile structure including a block member having a planar surface with a slot therein, and a file member which is insertable in the slot so as to project therefrom to form a file block.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a skiing accessory for filing skis and serving as .a camber block which is rugged, simple to manufacture and easily carried by a skier.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth above will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE l is Ia perspective View of one embodiment of the structure of the present invention, showing the file member in the recess in the block and illustrating the slot for receiving the file member;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective View similar to FlGURE 1 showing the file member positioned in the slot in the lblock;

FIGURE 3 illustrates one method of utilizing the structure to file a ski; and

FIGURE 4 illustrates the use of the structure as a camber block for maintaining the spacing between the central portions of a pair of skis.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, the structure of this invention includes a block member 11 which is formed of a suitable hard but `slightly elastic material, such as hard rub-ber. Block 11 is provided with an elongated slot 12 therein on one planar guide surface 11a of the block for receiving a le member. Slot 12 may -be produced in block 11 by any suitable means, such as by milling or during molding, etc.

When not in use, the file member 14 is positioned in a recess 11b in one end of block 11. File member 14 may be retained in recess 11b by any suitable means, such as by friction with the inwardly tapering end walls of recess 11b or by a magnet embedded in block 11 adjacent recess 11b. File member 14. has opposite sides 145 which are provided with file surfaces for filing the edges of skis, and it also preferably has at yleast one of its edge surfaces 14cprovided with a smooth surface for `scraping skis.

The general dimensions of block 11 may be varied somewhat so long as lit has a pair of parallel sides forming camber surfaces which are normal to the guide surface 11a and which are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the desired camber distance for skis. Additionally, the block may have a further pair of parallel surfaces, normal -to the camber surfaces and the guide surface, which are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the rwidth of a ski. In the preferred embodiment, the -block has a length L of 3 inches, which corresponds to the width of most skis, and has a width W of 2.5 inches, which corresponds to the camber distance for most skis. The block may have a thickness T of 7A; of an inch.

Block 11 may be provided with serrations or spaced ridges 11d along at least a portion of the length of the camber surfaces to facilitate gripping the block during filing and to insure good frictional engagement with the skis when used as a camber block.

To utilize the structure as a ling block, file member 14 is removed from recess 11b and inserted into slot 12. Removal of file member 14 from recess 11b may be facilitated by provision of a linger opening 11e in recess 11b behind :member 14 (FIGURE 2). The depth of slot 12 is selected to provide an appropriate amount of lile extending therefrom While still retaining file member 14 firmly in the slot, and it has been found that a projection of 3716 of an inch is quite suitable. File member 14 is preferably slightly longer than slot 12 so as to be held therein by frictional engagement with the resilient sides thereof, and projects from the slot normal to planar su-rface 11a.

The structure may be used as shown in FIGURE 3 to le the edges of a ski 16, with one of the file surfaces 14b adjacent the ski edge and the smooth edge 14C of the file member available for scraping if necessary. In FIGURE 3, the illustrated ski 16 is shown of Wooden or plastic construction and provided with steel edges in the form of ymetal strips 16a: on the bottoms thereof on opposite edges. It is to be understood, however, that the ski file is equally useful for skis of all metal construction, such as the well-known Head skis and that the FIGURE 3 illustration Was selected only because, presently, steel edges are still more common than all metal skis. The bottom or top surface of the ski is preferably placed on planar guide surface 11a during filing to maintain file surface 14b in proper alignment 'with the edge of the ski. After completion of filing, le member 14 may be removed from slot 12 and replaced in recess 11b.

To utilize the structure as a camber block, it may be employed as shown in FIGURE 4 to separate a pair of skis 16. The block is inserted with the camber surfaces engaging the facing undersides of skis 16 at approximately the Vcenter Ithereof, and the ends of the skis are clamped together by suitable means (not shown). As indicated above, block 11 has a width W which corresponds to the desired camber distance by which the center portions of skis 16 a-re to be separated, so that insertion of the block as shown in FIGURE 4 provides the proper camber spacing. Further, since the length L of the block corresponds to the width of the skis, the skis are supported across their width by the camber block.

The ridges 11d on the sides of the camber surfaces of the block firmly grip the undersides of the skis to insure retention of the camber block in the desired position.

From the above, it will be seen that there is provided a novel unitary structure for both ling the edges of skis and serving as a camber block for the skis, and that this structure is rugged, simple to manufacture, easily carried lby a skier and can be quickly made rea-dy for use as either a tile or a camber block.

While the above detailed description has shown, described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions and substitultions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated may be lmade by those skilled in the art, without `departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for tiling skis, comprising:

a block member being formed of a hard but slightly elastic material having at least one generally planar guide surface;

an elongated slot, having a pair of end walls and a pair of side walls, in said guide surface and extending into said block member; and

a file member insertable into said slot and elastically retainable therein -by frictional engagement with at least one pair of said walls of said slot so as to have a fil-ing portion projecting from said guide surface, said guide surface and said projecting portion of said le member forming a file block for filing skis.

2. A device in accordance with Claim 1 in which said block member has 'a pair of parallel surfaces, substantially normal to said guide surface, which are spaced apart a distance which corresponds to the desired camber distance for the skis, whereby said device becomes a ski file and camber block combination.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 in which said block member has a further pair of parallel surfaces, substantially normal to said guide surface and said camber surfaces which are spaced apart a distance which corre'- rponds to the Width of the skis.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which said block member has a recess in one end surface thereof for storage of said file member.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 in which said recess has inwardly sloping opposed side Walls to retain said file member therein lby the elasticity of said material.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 in which said recess is provided with a finger opening on the rear wall thereof to facilitate removal of said file member from said recess.

7. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which said tile member projects from said slot normal to said guide su-rface.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which said file member is provided with file surfaces ontwo sides thereof and is provided with a smooth surface on one edge thereof.

9. A device for tiling skis, comprising:

a block member having at least one generally planar guide surface, said block member being formed of a hard but slightly elastic material; an elongated slot' in said guide surface extending into said block member; and an elongated le member insextable into said slot so as to have a tiling portion extending from and normal to said guide surface, said file member having a length slightly greater than said slot so as to be retained therein by the elasticity of said material, said guide surface and said projecting portion of said file member forming a file block for filing skis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 438,270 10/1890 'Johnson 29-78 1,969,611 8/1934 Jessen. 2,222,336 11/ 1940 Domellof 16-114 2,851,712 9/1958 Howard.

FOREIGN PATENTS 628,911 9/ 1949 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Strebl: German application Ser. No. 1,017,965 printed Oct. 17, 1957.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

0 MILTON L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

